Laparoscopic Conversion of Gastric Bypass Complication to Sleeve Gastrectomy: Technique and Early Results

Laparoscopic gastric bypass is a commonly performed bariatric surgery for the treatment of morbid obesity. Revision surgery for patients who have gastric bypass complications is a challenge for bariatric surgeon. Our aim is to present the early results of the conversions of gastric bypass complications to sleeve gastrectomies.

From January 2001 to April 2015, 49 of 2382 gastric bypasses underwent revisional surgery to convert gastric bypasses to sleeve gastrectomies. The demographic data, surgical parameters, and outcomes were studied.

The mean age of the study group was 35.0 years (range 20 to 55), and the average body mass index (BMI) prior to the reoperation was 25.3 kg/m(2). Seven patients had previous laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypasses (LRYGBs), and 42 had laparoscopic single anastomosis (mini-) gastric bypasses (LSAGBs). The main reasons for the revisions were malnutrition (58 %), weight regain (10 %), intolerance (18 %), and others (14 %). The revisional surgeries had longer operative times, greater blood loss, and longer flatus passage times than the primary gastric bypass surgeries. Four patients (8.1 %) developed major complications during revisional surgery, including three (6.1 %) cases of leakage and one (2.0 %) case of internal bleeding. No mortality was noted. After conversion to sleeve gastrectomy, the body weights of the patients remained stable, and all patients improved in terms of malnutrition, including anemia, hypoalbuminemia, and secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Conversion to sleeve gastrectomy is an effective and safe option for patients with gastric bypass complications. The conversions to sleeve gastrectomy resulted in significant improvements in malnutrition and maintained weight loss at the early follow-ups.